Grass mowing machines with mower decks may have two or three rotating blades for cutting grass or other vegetation, and a side discharge outlet from the mower deck. The side discharge outlet allows clippings cut by the blades to exit the side of the mower deck where the clippings are deposited onto the turf. On some mower decks the side discharge outlet extends up through the top of the mower deck. The rotating mower blades may provide an updraft to propel clippings upwardly from the mower deck through this part of the side discharge outlet.
Grass mowing machines typically include a chute that extends outwardly over the side discharge outlet. In the side discharge position, the chute directs cut materials downwardly into the turf, and helps prevent clippings and other objects from being thrown outwardly or upwardly as they exit the mower deck. The chute may be mounted to the mower deck with a hinge mechanism and may be spring biased to a downward position. The hinge mechanism allows the chute to pivot upwardly when the chute comes in contact with an obstacle such as when mowing close to a fence or building or mowing around trees. The spring biases the chute back down to its downward position after the chute clears the obstruction.
Some mower decks also have a second, inner chute positioned directly beneath the main or outer chute described above. The inner chute may be mounted to the mower deck with a hinge and spring mechanism. In the first position, the inner chute may cover only the top portion of the side discharge outlet. The inner chute may be biased downwardly but may be pivoted up to a second position generally exposing the top portion of the discharge outlet.
Some mower decks may be converted from a side discharge position to a material collection position, in which clippings may be directed out the side discharge outlet and through a tube into hoppers or other containers carried by the grass mowing machine. The clippings may be directed upwardly from the mower deck through the outlet by the updraft generated by the cutting blades.
To convert the mower from the side discharge position to the material collection position, the outer chute and inner chute may be pivoted upwardly and a material collection system tube may be attached to the mower deck over the side discharge outlet. Some mower decks may be converted frequently from the side discharge position to the material collection position. In the past, elastic straps with hooks were used to install and fasten material collection system tubes on mower decks. However, it can be difficult or awkward to stretch the elastic straps and to fasten or unfasten the hooks. Additionally, the straps may lose their elasticity. There is a need for a material collection system tube fastener that is easy to install or remove from the mower deck, with minimal effort or complexity. There is a need for a material collection system tube fastener that has few parts and is relatively inexpensive.